Cyclotron Produced Isotopes for Medical Applications

Cyclotron produced isotopes for medical use are classifiable as single photon emitters (201Tl, 123J, ~7Ga), used for planar and tomographic imaging (=SPECT), and as positron emitters (l8F, l~O, 13N, llC) as applied for tomographic organ imaging (=PET). There is a number of generator produced positron emitters. This paper reviews the application in clinical nuclear medicine for cardiology (myocardial scintigraphy), oncology (tumor scintigraphy) , endocrinology (parathyroid scintigraphy), dermatology (malignant melanoma), neurology (brain tumors), AIDS, nephro-urology. Attention is also devoted to PET-imaging in neuropsychiatric diseases, oncology, and cardiology with instructive clinical examples underscoring the unique capabilities in detecting (patho)physiologic basis of diagnosis and approaching a more adequate therapy and monitoring therapy response. It is concluded that at least in F.R.G. the number of PET facilities (and cyclotrons) is disproportionallv limited as compared to other countries.